Image credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
TL;DR
Worlds is the crowning event of the League of Legends esports season and one of the most-watched events in esports history.
LoL Worlds 2025 will take place in China across Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, from October 14 to November 9.
Fans can tune in via Twitch, YouTube, LoLEsports.com, and regional broadcasters.
A total of 17 teams compete for the Summoner’s Cup, reduced from last year’s 20 squads.
The total prize pool for the competition is $5 million, the highest it’s ever been.
The League of Legends World Championship, also known as Worlds, is the biggest event in the game’s competitive calendar. It gathers the best teams across all regional leagues and sees them compete in a multi-stage tournament to crown the World Champion.
Each year, the event takes place in a different hosting region, giving fans the chance to experience League of Legends esports and blend it through culture and entertainment.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 edition of LoL Worlds, from its schedule, teams, prize pool, and the best viewing options for the tournament.
When is the LoL Worlds 2025?
After last year’s edition took place in Europe, the 2025 League of Legends World Championship will move over to China, returning for the first time since 2020, when the tournament took place in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tournament will be spread across three different cities: Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu. In particular, the latter was also the hosting city for the Mid-Season Invitational last season, while Shanghai hosted Worlds 2020.
Kicking off on October 14, Worlds will crown its 2025 champion on November 9. Compared to previous years, the tournament’s duration was reduced following community feedback on the momentum kill with the one week break between quarterfinals and semifinals.
LoL Worlds 2025: How to watch
Fans can follow Worlds 2025 on multiple platforms:
Twitch: Official Riot Games channels with live broadcasts.
YouTube: Fans can watch live streams, VODs, and highlights.
LoLEsports.com: Exclusive drops, rewards, and match data.
Co-streams: Immersive and personalised watching experience with content creators. (List to be confirmed)
Watch Parties: Last year, Riot listed the watch parties available across regions, allowing fans to watch the action live with friends and other fellow players.
Many fans opt for LoLEsports.com to claim watch rewards while having access to all the updated stats. The tournament also offers regional broadcasts in several languages, allowing fans worldwide to enjoy the event in their native language while still engaging with the global competition.
LoL Worlds 2025: Teams
A total of 17 teams will be competing at Worlds, coming from the five major regional leagues (LPL, LCK, LEC, LTA, and LCP). Teams are currently still competing to determine the seeding. The confirmed teams are as follows:
KT Rolster (LCK)
Hanwha Life Esports (LCK)
Gen.G (LCK)
BiliBili Gaming (LPL)
G2 Esports (LEC)
Movistar KOI (LEC)
CTBC Flying Oyster (LCP)
PSG Talon (LCP)
Team Whales Secret (LCP)
FlyQuest (LTA)
Vivo Keyd Stars (LTA)
Each region will receive three seeds, with the exception of LCK (Korea) and LPL (China), which will get an additional fourth seed following the regions’ strong performance at the Mid-Season Invitational earlier this year.
Worlds past winners
2024: T1
2023: T1
2022: DRX
2021: EDward Gaming
2020: DAWMON Gaming
2019: FunPlus Phoenix
2018: Invictus Gaming
2017: Samsung Galaxy
2016: SK Telecom T1
2015: SK Telecom T1
2014: Samsung White
2013: SK Telecom T1
2012: Taipei Assassins
2011: Fnatic
Korean esports organisation T1 is the most successful Worlds winner, with a total of five titles won across the past 14 editions.
LoL Worlds 2025: Prize pool
The 2025 Worlds prize pool has been increased to $5 million from $2.25 million the previous year. While it’s not part of the tournament prize pool, Riot has also introduced a Global Revenue Pool (GRP) that aggregates digital LoL Esports revenue coming from in-game sales and allocates it to teams.
The prize pool distribution is yet to be confirmed. In previous years, the world champions took 20% of the total prize pool, meaning the figure is expected to be close to $1 million.
Conclusion
LoL Worlds 2025 promises to be another unforgettable chapter in esports history. With China as the hosting region, which is known for its expansive esports culture, and the successes from previous international tournaments earlier this season, this year’s Worlds is set to be another highlight reel as League of Legends celebrates the 15th anniversary of the competition.
FAQs
When is the 2025 LoL Worlds?
The League of Legends World Championship will take place from October 14 with the play-in stage, until the Grand Final on November 9.
Where is the 2025 LoL Worlds?
The tournament will take place in China, across Beijing (play-ins and swiss stage), Shanghai (quarter-finals and semi-finals), and Chengdu (finals)
Which team is the favourite to win the 2025 LoL Worlds?
Based on recent international performance, there isn’t a clear favourite, but it’s expected to be among the Korean (LCK) and Chinese (LPL) teams taking part in the tournament.
How can I watch the 2025 LoL Worlds?
Worlds can be viewed on streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and the official LoL Esports website. The competition is also expected to offer co-streams alongside the official broadcasts.
What is the prize pool for the 2025 LoL Worlds?
The total prize pool for this year’s edition is $5 million, more than double that of the 2024 edition.
References
LoL Esports in 2025 (LoL Esports)
Find a League of Legends Worlds 2024 Watch Party Near You (Riot Games)
